ARRANGEMENT FOR PORTIONING VISCOUS MATERIALS FROM A PACK

Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement for portioning or dispensing viscous material (1) from a pack (2), whereby the pack (2) is positionable in an outer container and a portioning or dispensing means (4) includes a nonreturn valve (30) which prevents the material (1) from flowing back to said pack (2) during portioning or dispensation. For being able to quickly place the pack (2) in the outer container and quickly and safely lock a retaining portion of the portioning means (4) relative to the outer container as well as ensure that vital valve members of the nonreturn valve (30) are not damaged during handling and operation of the portioning means (4), the outer container is divided in a special way into two container members, whereby retaining members of the retaining device are integrated in said container members and whereby the valve seat (40) of the nonreturn valve (30) is surrounded by the retaining members of the retaining device.

Description: Arrangement for portioning viscous materials from a pack. The present invention relates to an arrangement for portioning viscous material, preferably foodstuff, e.g. ketchup or mustard, from a pack, preferably a plastic bag of flexible material, whereby a portioning means is connectable with the pack so that viscous material can be dispensed therefrom by means of said portioning means, preferably by gripping and compressing an elastic part thereof, whereby said portioning means includes a non¬ return valve having a valve seat and a valve means coope- rating therewith and being adapted to prevent material from flowing back from the portioning means to the pack when said portioning means is compressed for dispensing material therefrom, and whereby the pack is positionable in an outer container so that the portioning means is directed downwards therefrom. Prior art outer containers of said type are expen¬ sive to manufacture and they do not permit quick exchange of empty packs for new such packs. Furthermore, simple retaining devices are lacking, which can be brought to quickly and easily retain the upper end of the portio¬ ning means relative to the outer container without the risk for loosening or damaging said portioning means when it is handled manually for dispensing material from the pack. The object of the present invention has been at first hand to eliminate these problems and this is arri¬ ved at by providing the device defined above substan¬ tially with the characterizing features of claim 1. By means of these characterizing features it is attained that the outer container as well as the retai¬ ning device consists of a few easily manufactured mem¬ bers. Furthermore, the measure to place a new pack in the outer container and locking the portioning means in relation thereto, is facilitated. The portioning means can namely be brought to automatically take an exact posi- tion relative to the retaining device when the pack is placed in the outer container such that said portioning means can be retained by means of the retaining device by simply closing the outer container. Additionally, the retaining device can protect vital members of the nonreturn valve forming part of the portioning means when said retaining device retains said portioning means such that said members are not damaged during manual hand¬ ling of the portioning means for dispensing material from the pack. The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein fig. 1 schematically illustrates all major compo¬ nents .forming part of the arrangement according to the invention located beside each other before assembly thereof; fig. 2 with a plan view illustrates an outer contai¬ ner forming part of the arrangement according to the in¬ vention and which is open and wherein a pack with a por- tioning means is located; fig. 3 is a section along the line III-III through the arrangement of fig. 2; fig. 4 with a plan view illustrates the arrangement according to the invention, whereby the outer container is closed; fig. 5 is a vertical section through a portioning means forming part of the arrangement of the invention; fig. 6 is the same section through the portioning means as in fig. 5, but during suction of material; and fig. 7 is the same section through the portioning means as in figs. 5 and 6, but during dispensing of mate¬ rial. The portioning or dispensing device illustrated in the drawings is adapted for portioning or dispensing vis- cous materials 1, preferably foodstuff such as ketchup or mustard, from a pack 2, preferably a thinwalled plas¬ tic bag of flexible material. The pack 2 is positionable, e.g. suspendable at the top, in an outer container 3, which is suspendable or positionable at a location at which dispensing of the viscous material 1 occurs, e.g. in a kiosk, in a snack bar or in a restaurant. The portioning device has a portioning or dispen¬ sing means 4, preferably including a compressible hose 5 of elastic material. This portioning means 4 can be con¬ nected with the pack 2 so that viscous material 1 can be dispensed therefrom by means of the portioning means 4. The outer container 3 has down below a retaining device 6 for retaining the portioning means 4 at said container so that said portioning means is directed down¬ wards from said outer container 3. The outer container 3 is divided into two container members 7, 8 along a plane P (see fig. 4) extending be¬ tween its lower and upper portions 9 and 10. The contai¬ ner members 7, 8 are movable relative to each other, pre¬ ferably articulately connected with each other, in such a way that the outer container 3 can be opened and closed by changing their mutual positions. Furthermore, the re¬ taining device 6 includes a retaining member 11 which is provided on one of the container members 7 and another retaining member 12 which is provided so that both re¬ taining members 11, 12 together can be brought to retain the portioning means 4 at the outer container 3. Said other retaining member 12 is preferably mounted on the other container member 8, but can also be mounted on said first container member 7, e.g. as a movable clamp member, or being a separate member which can be positio- ned in another suitable way for retaining the portioning means 4 at the outer container 3. At least one of the container members 7 and/or 8 is preferably designed such that the pack 2 can be pla¬ ced therein when the outer container 3 is open (see figs. 2 and 3, wherein the pack 2 is located in the container member 7) . Hereby, a retaining portion 13 of the portioning means 4 is preferably positionable in the retaining mem¬ ber (here retaining member 11) of the same container mem¬ ber (here container member 7) . As is apparent from the figures, one of the retaining members 11 can be mounted on one of the container members 7 and the other retaining member 12 mounted on the other container member 8 such that said retaining members 11, 12 are brought into retai¬ ning positions (see fig. 4) to retain the portioning means 4 by bringing said container members 7, 8 into positions at which they define a closed outer container 3 and locking them in these positions relative to each other. For locking the container members 7, 8 relative to each other when said members define a closed outer contai¬ ner 3 and for locking also the retaining members 11, 12 relative to each other when these latter members retain the portioning means 4, a locking means 14, preferably a lock ring, can be provided, preferably threaded (see arrow A in fig. 4) onto the retaining device 6 when the outer container 3 is closed. On the insert member 18 and preferably the mounting member 19 there may be provided a coupling device 15 which can be connected with the pack 2 for discharge of viscous material therefrom to the portioning means 4 be¬ fore said pack 2 is encased in the outer container 3 and preferably before said pack 2 bas been placed (see arrows C, D in fig. 1) in any of the container members 7 or 8. The compressible hose 5 has in one end a portioning or dispensing member 26 with a dispensing opening 16 and in another end an insert opening 17 through which an insert member 18 belonging to the portioning means 4 is insertable into the compressible hose 5 (see arrow B in fig. 1) . The coupling device 15 can be connected with the insert member 18 in such a way that one can connect said device with the pack 2 when the insert member 18 is pro- vided in the portioning means 4 (see fig. 1) . Furthermore, the coupling device 15 is preferably a pipe piece provided on the mounting member 19 and of such length that is projects out from the insert opening 17 of the compressible hose 5 when the insert member 18 is provided in said compressible hose. Such a coupling de¬ vice 15 can also be used for punching or making holes in the pack 2 when said device is connected. The mounting member 19 is preferably locatable in the portioning means 4 adjacent to the insert opening 17 thereof. This mounting member 19 may consist of a circu¬ lar plate which is insertable into a circular mounting groove 20 preferably provided in the compressible hose 5, and which preferably is retained in said groove while those portions of the elastic material of the hose which are brought to deflect resiliently when the circular plate is inserted into the circular mounting groove 20, spring back or return to their original shape. A rod 21 may extend from central portions of the moun¬ ting member 19 and an end portion 22 of said rod defines a valve seat 23 for a portioning or dispensing valve 24 within the dispensing opening 16. The valve body 25 of the dispensing valve 24 may be formed by those parts of the dispensing member 26 which surround the end portion 22 of the rod 21. A material intake opening 27 can be provided in the mounting member 19 for permitting intake of vis¬ cous material from the pack 2 to the interior of the comp- ressible hose 5. This material intake opening 27 can be located laterally offset relative to those central por¬ tions of the mounting member 19 from which the rod 21 ex¬ tends. On the rod 21 adjacent to the mounting member 19 there may also be provided an valve means 28 of elastic material for a nonreturn valve 30. The mounting member 19 may define the valve seat 40 for the nonreturn valve 30 while the valve means 28 is provided to cooperate with the mounting member 19 around its material intake opening 27. The portioning means 4, and preferably its compres¬ sible hose 5, may at a retaining end 31 be provided with an annular mounting flange 32 and at least one of the re- taining members 11 and/or 12 can be provided with a retai¬ ning groove 33 and/or 34 for retention of the annular moun¬ ting flange 32. Additionally, the mounting groove 20 can be provided in the annular mounting flange 32. The moun- ting member 19 preferably extends out to the outer por¬ tions of the mounting groove 20 and preferably is of such rigid material that it can form an inner support for the portioning means 4 within the retaining device 6 and at the same time prevent said portioning means 4 from being pulled downwards therefrom. At the container members 7, 8 of the outer container 3, a container member edge 35 which extends from a lower portion 9 to an upper portion 10 of one of the container members 7 and a container member edge 36 which extends from a lower portion 9 to an upper portion 10 of the other container member 8 may be connected with each other through a link device 37 which permits swinging together of said container members 7, 8 to define or form a closed or sub¬ stantially closed outer container 3 (see fig. 4) or apart to form an open outer container 3 (see fig. 2) . This link device 37 may include at least two rings 38, 39 of which each ring is threaded through a hole in one of the container members 7 and a hole in the other of said container members 8. One of the rings 38 prefer- ably is provided at the lower portion 9 of the contai¬ ner members 7, 8 and the other ring 39 at the top or upper portion 10 of said members. Each container member 7, 8 and a retaining member 11, 12 provided thereon may be manufactured in one single piece and of the same material, e.g. plastic material. One container member 7 and the retaining member 11 provi¬ ded thereon are identical or almost identical with the other container member 8 and the retaining member 12 pro¬ vided thereon. As is apparent from the figures, each container mem¬ ber 7, 8 defines half or substantially half the outer con¬ tainer 3 and each retaining member 11, 12 defines half or substantially half the retaining device 6. Furthermore, each container member 7, 8 can be designed as an oblong and shape permanent shell, from the lower portion 9 of which a retaining member 11 and 12 respectively, projects as a half pipe piece or similar. It should also be mentioned that the pack 2 prefer¬ ably has an inner coupling member 41 at which the coup¬ ling device 15 is insertable and which is adapted to re¬ tain said device. For dispensing material, material is initially fed into the portioning means 4 until said means is filled. Filling of the portioning means 4 occurs by gripping said means and "pumping" it by compressing or squeezing it and then release the grip. Since the portioning means 4 because of its elastic properties returns to its origi¬ nal shape (see arrows E in fig. 6) when one releases the grip, a negative pressure is generated in said portioning means 4, whereby the nonreturn valve 30 is opened and material 1 is sucked from the pack 2 into the portioning means. This is repeated until the portioning means 4 is filled (see fig. 6) , whereby said portioning means is ready for portioning or dispense. By compressing the portioning means 4 (see arrows F in fig. 7) filled as stated above, the nonreturn valve 30 will close and prevent material 1 from flowing back from said portioning means to the pack 2. Instead, the dispensing valve 24 is opened (by bringing the dispensing member 26 of the hose 5 to "gape" and thereby leave the valve seat 23 of the dispensing valve 24) and material 1 dispensed from the portioning means 4 (see fig. 7) . The arrangement illustrated in the drawings is hand¬ led so that when an empty pack 2 has been removed, the portioning means 4 is connected with a full pack 2 (see arrow C in fig. 1) . Thereafter, the pack 2 and the portio- ning means 4 connected therewith is placed in e.g. the container member 7 with the retaining portion 13 in its retaining position relative to the retaining member 11 les of alternative embodiments it can be mentioned that the container members 7, 8 can have another design than shown and they can eventually be entirely dis ountable from each other instead of being articulately connected with each other, the retaining members 11, 12 of the re¬ taining device 6 can be designed in other ways, e.g. can both members be located on the same container member, whereby one of the retaining members is movable so that it can be moved aside for positioning the portioning means 4 in the other and then moved back for locking said means to said other retaining member. One of the retaining members can also be completely removable from and securable to the other retaining member. Furthermore, the locking means 14 can be designed in other ways than shown for locking the retaining mem¬ bers 11, 12 in their retaining positions and there may alternatively be at least one locking means for locking the container members 7, 8 when the outer container 3 is closed, whereby said latter locking means indirectly also can lock the retaining members 11, 12. There may also be provided one or more locking means for locking the container members 7, 8 and one or more other locking means for locking also the retaining members 11, 12. The coupling device 15 can have other shapes and be mounted in other ways than shown - it may e.g. be a flexible hose which is connected with the mounting member 19 or with the portioning means 4 in other ways. This hose may at an outer end be provided with a connecting and/or lan¬ cing or punching pipe which can be connected with the pack 2. The portioning means 4 can also be of another design than described above and this is applicable also to the pack 2.

Claims: Claims : 1. Arrangement for portioning or dispensing viscous material (1), preferably foodstuff, e.g. ketchup or mus¬ tard, from a pack (2) , preferably a plastic bag of flexi¬ ble material, whereby a portioning or dispensing means (4) is con- nectable with the pack (2) so that viscous material (1) can be dispensed therefrom by means of said portioning means (4) , preferably by gripping and compressing an elastic portion or member thereof, whereby the portioning means (4) includes a nonreturn valve (30) having a valve seat and a valve means coope¬ rating therewith and being adapted to prevent material (1) from flowing back from the portioning means (4) to the pack (2) when said portioning means (4) is compressed for dispensing material (1) therefrom, and whereby the pack (2) is positionable in an outer con¬ tainer (3) so that the portioning means (4) is directed downwards therefrom, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the outer container (3) is divided into two container members (7 and 8) along a plane (P) extending between lower and upper portions (9 and 10) thereof, that the outer container (3) down below is provi¬ ded with a retaining device (6) wherein a retaining por- tion (13) of the portioning means (4) can be situated, that the retaining portion (13) includes two retai¬ ning members (11, 12) of which one retaining member (11) is provided down below on one container member (7) , where¬ by the other retaining member (12) is provided so, pre- ferably down below on the other container member (8), that said retaining members together can be brought into retaining positions for retaining the retaining portion (13) of the portioning means (4), and that the valve seat (40) of the nonreturn valve (30) is provided within the retaining portion (13) of the por- tioning means (4) so that said seat will be located within the retaining device (6) when said device retains the re¬ taining portion (13) . 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d i n that the retaining portion (13) of the portioning means (4) has an annular mounting flange (32) and that at least one of the retaining members (11 or 12) of the retaining device (6), preferably both re¬ taining members (11, 12) , is provided with a retaining groove (33 and/or 34) which is engaged by the annular mounting flange (32) of the retaining portion (32) when the retaining members (11, 12) retains the portioning means (4) . 3. Arrangement according to claim 2, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d i n that the valve seat (40) of the non¬ return valve (30) is defined by a mounting member (19) which is positionable in the portioning means (4) , pre¬ ferably by being located in a mounting groove (20) in the annular mounting flange (32) . 4. Arrangement according to claim 3, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the mounting member (19) forms part of an insert member (18) which is insertable into the portioning means (4) and which includes a valve means (28) which forms part of the nonreturn valve (30) and co- operates with the valve seat (40) . 5. Arrangement according to claim 4, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the valve seat (40) is defined by the mounting member (19) around a material intake ope¬ ning (27) which is provided in said member to permit in- take of material (1) from the pack (2) to the portioning means (4) . 6. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a mounting member (19) defining the valve seat (40) consists of a circular plate which is insertable into a circular mounting groove (20) in a compressible hose (5) forming part of the por¬ tioning means (4) , and which is retained in said mounting groove (20) while those portions of the elastic material of the hose (5) which are brought to deflect resiliently when the circular plate is inserted into the circular mounting groove (20) , spring back or return to their original shape. 7. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a rod (21) extends from central portions of a mounting member (19) defining the valve seat (40) , whereby an end portion (22) of said rod (21) defines a valve seat (23) for a dispensing valve (24) within a dispensing opening (16) which is defined by a compressible hose (5) of elastic material forming part of the portioning means (4) , whereby a valve body (25) for the dispensing valve (24) is formed by those portions of the hose (5) which surround the end portion (22) of the rod (21), that in the mounting member (19) there is provided a material intake opening (27) for per¬ mitting intake of viscous material (1) from the pack (2) to the interior of the compressible hose (5) , that the material intake opening (27) is located laterally offset relative to those central portions of the mounting mem¬ ber (19) from which the rod (21) extends, and that the valve means (28) of the nonreturn valve (30) is provided on the rod (21) adjacent to the mounting member (19). 8. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve seat (40) of the nonreturn valve (30) is defined by a mounting mem¬ ber (19) which is positionable in the portioning means (4) , whereby said mounting member (19) includes a coup- ling device (15) which can be connected with the pack (2) for discharge of material (1) therefrom to the portio¬ ning means (4) . 9. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve seat (40) of the nonreturn valve (30) is defined by a mounting mem¬ ber (19) which is positionable in the portioning means (4), whereby said mounting member (19) can be located at an insert opening (17) which is provided in one end of the portioning means (4) . 10. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that at least one of the container members (7 and/or 8) is formed such that the pack (2) can be placed therein when the outer contai¬ ner (3) is open, whereby a retaining portion (13) of the portioning means (4) can be located in the retaining mem¬ ber (11 or 12) of the same container member (7 or 8) . 11. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that one retaining mem¬ ber (11) is mounted on one container member (7) and the other retaining member (12) on the other container mem¬ ber (8) so that said retaining members (11, 12) can be brought into retaining positions for retaining the por¬ tioning means (4) by bringing the container members (7, 8) into positions wherein they define a closed or sub¬ stantially closed outer container (3) and locking said container members in said positions relative to each other. 12. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a locking means (14) , preferably a lock ring, can be provided, preferably threaded, on the retaining device (6) when the outer con¬ tainer (3) is closed for locking the retaining members (11, 12) of said retaining device (6) in retaining posi¬ tions wherein said retaining members retain the portio¬ ning means (4) . 13. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the valve seat (40) of the nonreturn valve (30) is defined by a mounting mem¬ ber (19) having a coupling device (15) which on one hand is mounted so that one can punch or make holes therewith in the pack (2) and which on the other hand is mounted so that said coupling device can be connected with the pack (2) for discharge of viscous material (1) therefrom to the portioning means (4) before the pack (2) has been encased or enclosed in the outer container (3) . 14. Arrangement according to claim 13, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the portioning means (4) in one end has an inserting opening (17) through which an insert member (18) , including a mounting member (19) defining the valve seat (40) , is insertable, and that the coupling device (15) is connected with the insert member (18) in such a way that one with said coupling device can punch or make holes in the pack (2) and connect it therewith when the insert member (18) is placed in the portioning means (4) . 15. Arrangement according to claim 13, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the coupling device (15) is a pipe piece provided on the mounting member (19) and having such a length that it protrudes out of the inserting ope- ning (17) of the portioning means (4) when the insert member (18) is located in the compressible hose (5) . 16. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the portioning means (4) comprises a compressible hose (5) having a retaining end (31) with an annular mounting flange (32) and that at least one of the retaining members (11 and/or 12) is provided with a retaining groove (33 and/or 34) for the annular mounting flange (32) of the compressible hose (5) . 17. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that a container member edge (35) which extends from a lower portion (9) to an upper portion (10) of one container member (7) and a container member edge (36) which extends from a lower portion (9) to an upper portion (10) of the other contai- ner member (8) are connected with each other through a link device (37) which permits swinging together of said container members (7, 8) to define a closed or substan¬ tially closed outer container (3) or apart to form an open outer container (3) . 18. Arrangement according to claim 17, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n that the link device (37) includes at least two rings (38, 39) of which each ring is threaded through a hole in one container member (7) and a hole in the other container member (8) and that one ring (38) preferably is provided at the lower portions (9) of the container members (7, 8) and the other ring (39) at the upper portions (10) of said members. 19. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that each container mem¬ ber (7, 8) and a retaining member (11, 12) provided there¬ on are manufactured in one piece and of the same material, and that one container member (7) and the retaining mem¬ ber (11) provided thereon are identical or almost identi¬ cal with the other container member (8) and the retaining member (12) provided thereon. 20. Arrangement according to claim 19, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d i n that each container member (7, 8) defines half the outer container (3) or substantially half the outer container (3) and that each retaining mem¬ ber (11, 12) defines half or substantially half the re¬ taining device (6) . 21. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that each container mem¬ ber (7, 8) is designed as an oblong shell from the lower portion (9) of which a retaining member (11, 12) protru¬ des as a half pipe piece. 22. Arrangement according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the portioning means (4) comprises a compressible hose (5) which in one end has a dispensing member (26) with a dispensing ope¬ ning (27) and in the opposite end the retaining portion ( 13 ) .

Inventors: STERN LEIF EINAR, STERN, LEIF, EINAR
Applicants: ASEPT INT AB, STERN LEIF EINAR, ASEPT INTERNATIONAL AB, STERN, LEIF, EINAR
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A47F1
IPC codes: A47K5, B67D3, B67D5, G01F11